Since I started blogging years ago, my office has always been wherever I’m at. Sometimes it was a hostel, my parents’ house, or elsewhere on the road. While my “office” has changed many times over the years—I now have a permanent space at home where I set to work.
For me, creating this office space is crucial as it helps set the mood for getting things done.
One of the biggest struggles of working from home is defining spaces and setting hours for myself—it can be so easy to grab my laptop and write emails from the couch or stay in bed while editing photos. And while sometimes I do this to honor how I’m feeling, a majority of the time I enter into my office space.
Have you been working from home and feeling this strange fatigue of not knowing when you’re done for the day?
You’re not the only one, so here are my helpful tips for working from home as a freelancer! With that, I have now found the key comforts that help me to be productive and spark creativity while working from home.
Here are my working from home office essentials!
The Ideal Working Space
My ideal working space is one where I have both a standing and sitting desk—great for changing things up. While it can be easy to slump in the chair, this can be detrimental to your posture and inadvertently impact your neck (text neck is a thing!).
So, find a desk solution that works for you. I personally like the standing desk so I’m not sitting all day. Another thing I love, especially if I am sitting, is to opt for a computer raiser so my monitor is in line with my eye level.
Adjustable Standing (or Sitting) Desk
Flexispot
I personally have the Comhar All-in-One Standing Desk Glass Top in White and love it! The USB charging points are great for my phone and other devices I use throughout the day, and the pull-out drawer is perfect for keeping things neat and tidy!
Crafted with an ergonomic design in mind, you can adjust this desk to be a standing workstation or lower it for when you’d like to sit.
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Adjustable Swivel Chair
This adjustable chair has an ergonomic backrest made to fit the natural curve of your spine. You can flip up the arms, too!
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Computer Stand/Raiser with Storage
Lift your monitor or laptop up to eye level so you’re not hunching your shoulders and straining your neck while working.
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Laptop Board
And then for the times when you’d like to transition to the couch or a comfy chair, a laptop board helps to raise your screen.
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Set the Mood
Now that your desk space is taken care of—set the mood! Do you want your office flooded with natural light? Do you thrive with a bit of art around you? Or do you prefer everything to be orderly and minimal?
I particularly love bringing a bit of greenery into my space—here’s how to bring the outdoors indoors!
Here are my tips:
- Let the Natural Light Flood In
- Organize Your Desk Space at the End of the Day
- Create a Fresh To-Do List Every Evening or Start of Your Work Day
- Time Block and Create Dedicated Chunks of Time to Accomplish Tasks
- Find an Inspiring Playlist or Podcast for a Bit of Background Noise
Paper Goods and Productivity
Because so much of my work is online, I love using a paper planner and to-do list.
Having something tangible where I can cross off tasks makes me feel more productive and like giving myself a gold star when I can check something off.
While I might have spent hours working on something, because I wasn’t physically moving around a space, sometimes it feels like I didn’t accomplish all that much. However, when I reflect on my to-do list and see where I’m at, it’s a good boost for overall morale.
Paper Planner
There is nothing more satisfying than crossing on things on your to-do list. While you’re at it—colorful pens always make it more fun!
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Jot down all your brilliant ideas, brainstorm, and get to work! Also, sometimes writing things down can be really cathartic and therapeutic (especially for me when I work on my computer all day!).
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Beloved Accessories
Ah, yes, the beloved accoutrements and accessories of the office space! While these will likely differ for everyone, some of my faves include a Hydro Flask for staying hydrated, noise-canceling headphones, and charging accessories.
Decorative Laptop Hardshell
There are so many cute designs to pick from and I love that this comes with a keyboard cover, too! Make sure to double-check which size laptop you have to ensure it fits correctly.
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Noise-Canceling Headphones
Maybe you’re not the only one working from home… If you’re in need of some noise-canceling headphones with Bluetooth and a built-in microphone, these will do the trick!
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Charging Station
Consider what gear you always use and find a good charging station fit for your products.
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Hydro Flask
Staying hydrated is important and I love how Hydro Flasks keep the contents of the bottle cold (or hot!).
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I don’t know about you, but one of the things I liked about working in a typical office was the abundance of coffee supplies or sometimes a coffee shop within the building. Because of this, I often like to froth my own milk at home for “fancy coffee.”
Vitruvi White Stone Essential Oil Diffuser
Enhance your mood and overall wellbeing with a blend of herbs and essential oils. Pair with these essential oils to find the right blend that sparks creativity and productivity.
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Overall
Last, but certainly not least: consider your wardrobe!
I do like to change out of my pajamas and “get dressed,” but oftentimes this means comfy leggings and a cute blouse. Something I would feel comfortable wearing to walk the dog or grab a coffee, but not something that I’m itching to change out of. Wear whatever you feel good and productive in!
For my favorite comfies—check out this list!
What things make your ideal office space at home? Let me know in the comments below!
I really love your post.
It is very inspiring for me to freshen up the workspace in the conditions like now, where I often work from home. Thanks for sharing this excellent post.
Btw, i love your web design too
Hey Tiwi! Some fun ways to spruce up an at-home office, aren’t there? 🙂 And thank you very much!
Good advice , how has this pandemic effected your blog ? WhT type of adjustment have you had to make ?
Hey Gerry! I go into detail a lot about that here: https://theblondeabroad.com/how-to-keep-your-blog-afloat-during-covid-19/